


Synchronized

by dev_chieftain



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-08
Updated: 2011-08-08
Packaged: 2017-10-22 09:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/236585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dev_chieftain/pseuds/dev_chieftain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From T&B kink meme:</p><p>Post 13: A bit later on, Kotetsu collapses from the remnants of his injuries when he's alone with Barnaby. Cue Barnaby being surprisingly gentle and protective and concerned and whatnot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Synchronized

Only when the others are in the hospital and they are alone in the truck, Barnaby wincingly pulling on bandages and working salve into his sore muscles, does he notice that Kotetsu has stopped complaining, stopped joking, stopped making sound of any kind from where he sits, looking so small against the back of their van, breathing hard, head between his legs.

Feeling that same pang of concern, Barnaby swallows down his first response, which is to snap at the idiot for putting himself through so much pain when he ought to be resting inside, right alongside Antonio and Keith and Ivan. He knows better. They're not so different, him and the old man; they're both creatures of solitude, and they prefer to lick their wounds in private.

He just hadn't realized how true that was, maybe, until recently. "Hey," he says, instead of that initial sharp reprimand. "You're not looking too good."

Kotetsu doesn't answer for a very long moment, long enough that Barnaby gets up, crosses the narrow space and sits down beside him, helping him to sit up. The telltale hiss of pain is nothing against the blood staining Kotetsu's ever-present vest. Kotetsu doesn't look at him, and Barnaby sighs.

"At least let me bandage it, Kotetsu."

And there's that shiver of uncertainty, and _that_ gets him a look, a strange look, the kind of look someone might give a yawning black precipice before stumbling away from it. It's not something he was expecting, and like always, Kotetsu doesn't explain himself, just accedes to the request by letting Barnaby guide him until he's leaning back against the wall. "Thanks, Bunny," he says at last, as Barnaby's fingers bat Kotetsu's numb and useless ones away.

Just as well; before Barnaby's even finished unbuttoning the vest, Kotetsu has drifted into a state of half-consciousness at best, and there he stays, as Barnaby opens his rich green shirt, baring skin that is miraculously smooth, free of scars. The parts that are causing Kotetsu pain seem to be the big, ugly bruise on his stomach and the deep gash in his side, which Barnaby peels free of its old bandage with a sympathetic wince. If it had been closed-- and it probably had, for a little while after Kotetsu had activated his powers-- it certainly isn't now, and it weeps blood, white and pink and red. It's probably just lucky the cut doesn't seem to have ruptured any organs.

No, that's just what the bruise on his stomach probably means.

Barnaby doesn't question all that, however, because there's really nothing to ask. He knows what Kotetsu did, and the extent of the cost, and he knows why Kotetsu did it. If it makes him a little misty-eyed, knowing that anyone could care so much about whether Barnaby succeeded at what he wanted or not, well. Kotetsu's not going to tell. He's asleep for now, anyway.

By the time Barnaby has cleaned and dressed that gaping wound, patching up the few others left over and wrapping them all just tight enough, but not so sharply as to put a painful amount of pressure on them, Kotetsu stirs, grunting softly when he feels Barnaby's fingers taping down the last of the fresh bandages.

"You oughta be takin' care of yourself," Kotetsu rumbles tiredly, his bleary eyes only half-focused, a dull amber gleam of recrimination from under the domino-mask. Barnaby's right eyebrow quirks entirely of its own volition, and he smiles a little more than he might have meant to.

"You're in no shape to be telling me what to do," he counters easily. Kotetsu seems to consider that and, with a groan as he tries to sit up a little straighter and shakily starts buttoning his shirt up again, smiles, all teeth and no subtlety.

With a brief inclination of his head, Kotetsu murmurs his thanks. "You didn't have to do that."

"But I wanted to."

"Well," and is that dusting of red along Kotetsu's cheeks a _blush_ or is Barnaby imagining that? "Fair's fair. Turn 'round, I'll help you with the rest of yours so you can put on a damn shirt. It's cold today."

Oddly, Barnaby hadn't noticed that. Oh, he knows it was raining before and it's still chilly outside, so the van itself is a bit cool, but he hadn't been thinking about it before now. There were more important things to focus on. "All right, old man."

Kotetsu's easy smile spreads a little wider. "Then we can go drinking after to celebrate." and if it were any other day, Barnaby almost thinks he'd say yes.

"Not while you're still like that," Barnaby says, a little roughly, and he laughs to himself as Kotetsu starts bandaging the worst of Barnaby's bruises. "I'll take a raincheck. I want you to rest."

"Drinking _is_ resting--!"

" _Kotetsu._ "

It's amazing how the sound of his own name can make this man still, his hands resting on Barnaby's shoulder and hip, the stretchy bandage between them. "--a-ah, um. Sure. Yeah, that's- that's fine with me," he says, a little more softly, rich with happiness and mellow as a shot of old bourbon.

"However," The offer is on his tongue before he even thinks about it, but he doesn't worry. Not when he's around the old man. "If you'd like to invite me over to your place, I can keep an eye on you and you can protect me from the press-- provided you're willing."

A smile presses against his shoulder, and if Kotetsu is resting his head a little too heavily against Barnaby, still tired, it doesn't bear mention. "Yeah. I'd like that."

They both take a breath at the same moment, letting it out in contented sighs.

"I'd like that, Bunny."


End file.
